Hammered: Ridgewood 'D' stifles Coshocton again

COSHOCTON — One team came out ready for its first game of the season on Friday night. The other stayed in the locker room.

One glance at the scoreboard was all the proof one needed.

Visiting Ridgewood dominated the first half on both sides of the ball against rival Coshocton in their season opener at Stewart Field, enough to build a 35-point halftime lead in a game equally as one-sided as last season. The hosts recovered, at least defensively, but it was far too late in a 42-14 loss.

Coshocton managed only 40 first-half yards and didn't get a first down until the 9:42 mark of the second quarter, as Ridgewood dominated the line of scrimmage behind rugged defensive end Jonas Paugh and sophomore Logan Sesser, who combined for three tackles-for-loss before halftime.

Paugh was also a force off the edge in the pass rush, as the Silver Hammers feasted against a Coshocton offense that faced at least a third-and-8 on its first four possessions. Ridgewood turned three of those three-and-outs into touchdown runs from Kaulean Smith (13 and 7 yards) and Josiah Cahill (3).

"I think he's the best player around this area," Ridgewood coach John Slusser said. "I know the Wallick kid (at Garaway) might be better, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better lineman. He's 240 pounds and runs like a deer. And his motor runs 115 miles per hour all the time."

Paugh was a first-team All-East District pick in Division V last season and feels even more comfortable in his position.

"I've gotten faster and stronger and all of that, but I really feel like I've got a better understanding of the game and what my duties are," said Paugh, adding that the coaches always have the defense prepared. "I've tried to be more of a leader. Obviously, people on the team look up to me so that's a good goal to have."

Slusser said Coshocton controlled the line of scrimmage in the second half, which was a far cry from the first. The Generals held the hosts without a first down for almost 16 minutes before Colton Conkle connected with Evan Unger over the middle with 9:43 left until halftime.

By then, Ridgewood had compiled a 21-0 lead and had ran 26 plays to Coshocton' 14. Of those 14, only one went for more than two yards — a 12-yard run by Cadin Whiteus after a 32-yard completion to Unger was wiped away due to a penalty. Coshocton reached the Ridgewood 32-yard line before turning it over on downs, and there were no more threats the rest of the half.

The lead grew to 28-0 after River View transfer Carter Fry capped a 9-play, 59-yard drive with a 1-yard run, a drive that saw the Generals attack between the tackles with Smith, who had 24 yards on two carries, and outside runs from sophomore slotback Matt Humphrey and classmate Aiden Sparger.

Coshocton fumbled at midfield on its next possession, and Ridgewood turned it into a quick touchdown when Cahill took a short pass from Fry on a screen and bolted down the sideline for a 48-yard touchdown. The fifth Zac Starkey PAT of the half made it 35-0.

Coshocton coach Steve Smith, who saw his team get outgained 243-40 and commit six penalties in the first half, shouldered the blame for a team that wasn't emotionally engaged until after well after the game was decided.

He said it's a matter of a lack of leadership, something he said concerned him leading into the season after losing key seniors like Korbyn Haley, Alec Shook and Kobe Rust to graduation.

"With our schedule, we have to be ready to play from the first snap," Smith said. "Obviously I am really disappointed. I don't think we played to our capability. We had way too many mental errors and stupid penalties. We just didn't respond in the first half."

The second half was another matter.

Slusser was equally rankled at his team's second-half performance as Smith was mystified at his team's play in the first. After failing to force a punt in the first half, they forced a stagnant General offense to punt three times, with one leading to a snap over the punter's head and a heavy loss. Another ended in a lost fumble when Travin Berry sacked Fry at his own 27.

Two plays later, Unger hauled in a 20-yard touchdown from Conkle in the corner of the end zone to break the shutout with 8:12 left in the third. Ridgewood finally mounted another scoring drive in the fourth, a 46-yard march that lasted nine plays and ended with Smith's third TD of the game from two yards out.

He finished with 12 carries for 94 yards in his first game as a two-way starter, and Slusser felt he handled the load well given his defensive responsibilities as the team's top linebacker. He was the team's most consistent offensive threat on a night when the passing game sputtered between errant throws and three dropped passes.

Slusser said improvements have to be made. Another rival game awaits with neighboring River View before critical nonleague tilts with Alliance Marlington and Beloit West Branch.

"That second half was hard to watch," Slusser said. "Credit to Coshocton, I thought their kids played really well in the second half. They gave us all we wanted. I thought fatigue showed up in the second half. I know both teams played in the same heat, but I was really disappointed in our inability to handle it. I thought we got tired."

Coshocton now faces a difficult road affair at old East Central Ohio League foe Cambridge, which blanked Wintersville Indian Creek, 28-0, on the road in their opener.

Coshocton lost 15-14 at home to Cambridge last year, which wound up costing them a home playoff game.

"The kids did respond and came out and showed some grit in the second half after being challenged at halftime," Smith said. "We wanted to try and win the second half. We played much better. That falls on me. It's a young football team."

Morgan 54, River View 34: Wade Pauley had three rushing scores and Logan Niceswanger threw three TDs to propel the Raiders past the Black Bears in Friday's season opener.

Niceswanger finished 10-of-15 through the air for 193 yards and connected with Kole Searl, Carson Copeland and Mason Burnside on scores, while Copeland churned up 160 yards on 27 carries to go with two receptions for 58 yards to pace the winning effort.

Pauley added 50 yards on eight carries on the ground, while Searl caught three passes for 78 yards, as six Raiders had at least one catch.

The game was tied at 14 after one quarter, but a 20-point second put the Raiders in control. Pauley scored from 1 yard out to break the tie, while Aden Weaver capped the next drive with a 39-yard scoring run then Copeland hauled in a 33-yard scoring strike from Niceswanger. Morgan added a two-point conversion to lead 34-14 at the half.

Morgan held a 338-213 edge in rushing yards and had 31 first downs to 12 by the Black Bears.

Cruz Mobley, who had a 67-yard TD run, finished with 94 yards on nine carries and two scores and Jamal Watts had 75 yards and a score on four carries and caught three passes for 57 yards with a TD to lead River View. Ethan Jordan completed 6 of 10 passes for 141 yards with two scores and Preston Yoder had two receptions for 75 yards and a TD in the loss.

sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Hammered: Ridgewood stifles Coshocton again in high school football